United States Presidential Election of 2012American voters will go to the polls on November 6, 2012, to determine—for the 57th time—who will be the country’s president for the next four years. Incumbent Democratic Pres. President Barack Obama’s reelection bid is expected to be closely contested as the United States faces a number of challenges, most notably a struggling economy. After tumultuous primaries, Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, was nominated by the Republican Party as their its presidential candidate. Through candidate biographies, voting results, and overviews of the party conventions, Britannica provides ongoing coverage of the race for the White House.

The Campaign

The American electorate faced two markedly different visions for the future of the country. Governor Romney proposed to cut taxes and governmental regulations in order to reduce the burdens on small businesses and thereby bolster economic growth. He also promised to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the health care reform legislation put into place by the Obama administration, and to achieve energy independence by facilitating the development of domestic sources of energy, such as offshore oil. Romney’s selection of Congressman Paul Ryan as his vice presidential running mate confirmed his preference for laissez-faire policies.

President Obama, meanwhile, defended his economic record, arguing that his actions in response to the Great Recession (2007–09) and the financial crisis of 2008 had prevented a full-scale depression and laid the foundation for recovery. His plan for greater prosperity emphasized strategic investments in transportation infrastructure, education, and clean energy.

While the economy occupied the centre stage of the campaign, the two candidates also diverged on foreign policy. President Obama presented his record—which included the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and the assassination of Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the September 11, 2001, attacks—as proof of his success as commander in chief, while Romney argued that the United States had lost momentum in world affairs under Obama’s watch.

President Obama faced an uphill battle for reelection because of the difficult economic environment. Still, both campaigns proved to be competitive, and the candidates often appeared neck and neck in the polls.

Note: Although Mitt Romney was initially announced as the winner—with eight more votes than Rick Santorum—the final certified results, which were released on January 19, showed Santorum in first place by 34 votes. The state’s Republican Party initially refused to declare a winner, citing missing ballots, but it later announced that Santorum had won. The day after the caucuses, Michele Bachmann suspended her campaign. (Cain had suspended his campaign in December 2011.)

This section contains links to Britannica articles that provide background on the presidency.

Presidency of the United States: Historian Forrest McDonald provides a historical overview of the office, and Britannica’s Executive Editor Michael Levy details the historical evolution of the selection process.First Lady: Betty Caroli, author of First Ladies, describes how the role of first lady has changed since Martha Washington’s time.Electoral College: Georgetown University’s Stephen Wayne, author of The Road to the White House, details how the electoral college works and how it came into existence.White House: B. Philip Bigler, author of Washington in Focus, looks at the president’s official office and home.Electronic Voting: René Peralta, of the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Maryland, explores voting technology.